Container and method of making the same



NOV 17, 1964 R. HoLLlsTER ETAL 3,157,338

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed May 29, 1962 l INVENTOKS l Raaf/e7' Hau/572747 United States Patent O M 3,i7,333 CNTENER AND MEETHOD 0F MAKMG 'EEE SAB/lll Robert Hollister, Larehniont, and Arthur lohn White,

ltitoodbury, NKY., assignors to American (Can Company,

New York, FLY., a corporation of Nev "'ersey Filed lvlay 29, i962, Ser. No. $8,524 2 Claims. (Qi. 229-45) The present invention relates to containers, and has particular reference to the formation of lap seam nbre container bodies wherein initially separate, attractively lithographed, protectively coated labels are laminated to the body blanks in the hat in such manner as to become integral components of the bodies after completion thereof.

ln the container making industry, it is frequently desirable to provide fibrous container bodies with attractively decorated labels which enhance the appearance of the containers and stimulate the consumer into purchasing them. Such labels are usually provided by one of two methods.

ln the lirst method, a separate label is adhesively secured around the container body after it has been filled and has had both ends attached. This method has its drawbacks in that the labels frequently are not completely adhered to the body, and often wrinkle or bulge. In addition, they do not extend into the end seams of the body, and thus do not provide Vthe impression of an integrated body structure.

in the second method, the label is lithographed or otherwise printed directly onto the outer surfaces oi the body blanks prior to the time the blanks are formed into container bodies. ySince this label printing very often is done in the plants of various label manufacturers who control the printing plates for the various packers who order the containers from the container manufacturer, the latter is required to send the body blanks to the label manufacturers and then have the labelled blanks sent back to him. This procedure normally requires a substantial amount of time, and this in turn results in a certain inexibility of operation which requires that a comparatively large inventory of these expensive preprinted body blanks be kept in stock by the container manufacturer in order to insure a supply of body blanks adequate to permit container production sufficient to meet the maximum possible requirements of the packer, which requirements frequently fluctuate unpredictably, particularly where they are dependent on the harvesting of a crop such as fruit or the like. li these maximum requirements are not called for, the excess preprinted body blanks must either be scrapped, or kept in storage until the need for additional containers arises, which may not be until the next packing season.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of these two prior methods by providing a method of forming a fibrous lap seam container body wherein a separate label is laminated to each body blank by the container manufacturer while the blank is still in the hat. Since the label itselt1 is usually comparatively cheap relative to the body blank, a large inventory of various labels may be carried by the container manufacturer, and differently labelled containers may be easily made up on short notice. lf the labels are not cheap enough to stock in large quantities, they may quickly be made up by the label maker on his own label stock in the event the supply runs low, Without the necessity of having to tranship the bodyA blanks.

When an all-paper label is used it is necessary, in order to provide the finished container with an external water repellant or moistureproof surface, to apply a coating of a varnish or other protective coating composition to the external surfaces of these labels prior to the time llib Patented Nov. l?, 1964 ICC they are laminated to the body blanks. This coating is preferably applied by the label manufacturer. If the labels were made to the same dimensions as the body blanks and the opposing marginal edge portions of the labelled blanks were overlapped and glued thereto to form the usual lap type side seam, the outermost surface of the underlap of the seam would include a portion of the coated label. Since it frequently happens that in a normal days operation, the body blanks run on any given container manufacturing line may utilize labels printed and coated by a number of different label manufacturers= each of whom have applied a different coating composition, the container manufacturer would be faced with the possibility of having to change the glue formula-- tion each time a different coating composition were encountered in order to insure adhesion of the glue to it. lf such change in adhesive were not made, the result might be insecurel Ulued side seams, since it is unlikely that a single adhesive would be capable of firmly adhering to all of the different coatings. lf, as sometimes occurs, the label comprises aluminum foil, special types of adhesives would have to be utilized to adhere to its outer surface. lt the label were faced with a ilm of polyethylene or other plastic, special surface treatments would be required to obtain glue adhesion.

ln order to obviate these glueing dilliculties which would be encountered it the varnished or otherwise dithcult-to-glue label surface were incorporated in the side seam of the container body, the label is preferably made cireurnferentially narrower than the body blank, so that it extends into the side seam for only a short distance and the glue bond is made between uncoatedportions of the main libre body wall. To minimize the registration problems of 'this label applying operation, the label is also made axially shorter than the body blank so that the circumferential edges of the label need not be exactly aligned with the corresponding edges of the body blank. The relative dimensions are such, however, that the label extends up into the end seams of the container.

Thus, each label becomes an integral component of the fmished container in that it provides a completely protective external body surface, While at the same time, the glued body side seam is formed between two brous, easy-to glue portions of the libre body blank, and the glueing operation remains unalected by any change in the type of label used on the blanks. Further, since the label does not form a component ot the side seam, the glue bond which secures the label to the libre body Wall is omitted from the side seamfand the danger of having the lap seam delaminate is correspondingly reduced. In addition, the fact that the label is reduced in sizes results in savings in the cost of materials.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of containers having fibre bodies which are provided with Vprotective laminated labels which become integral parts of the bodies to provide them with water and moisture resistant external surfaces.

Another object is the provision of such bodies which are formed with lap type glued side seamswherein the glue bonds are formed between two fibrous body surfaces and are unaffected by the type of protective surfaces used on the labels.

Another object is the provision of libre container bodies which are provided with external labels which are lamiare laminated to the body blanks While the latter are inmethod of Y 3 the fiat, prior to the time the body blanks are formed into bodies.

Still another object is the provision of such a container which is provided with a laminated label which is somewhat u'ndersized in all dimensions relative to the body blank to simplify the label laminating operation and to reduce the cost of the container.

Another object is the provision of a method of making a lap seam fibre container body which is provided with a label which has a difficult-to-glue outer protective surface.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention'will be apparent as it is better understood from the following' description, which, taken' in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the principles of the instant invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional details on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the lines 2-2 and 3 3 in FIG. 1, respectively;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and'7 are schematic views illustrating the instant method invention, the views showing the successive mcthod steps utilized in in forming the tubular labelled body of the container of FIG. 1.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, FIG. l illustrates a composite container which comprises a cylindrical fibre body 10, the opposite ends of which are sealed by means of a pair of metal end members 12, 14 which are formed with peripheral U- shaped annular channels 16 which are crimped onto the marginal circumferential end portions of the body 1t) to form end seams 18. Although the illustrated container is shown as being circular in cross-section, it will be understood that this cross-section may be of any desired shape.

The tubular body (see FIGS. 2 and 3) comprises a main fibre wall 2t) to which is adhesively laminated an external label 22 which preferably is attractively decorated with a printed label legend which in the drawing is indicated by the words FROZEN FOOD andthe rectangle L.

The 'fibre wall 2u is formed of fibre body stock which preferably is suitably sized to resist moisture and/or water penetration to some degree, but which in essence retains its normal fibrous characteristics and is receptive to all types of fibre adhesives.

The label 22 preferably comprises a base 23 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of any suitable material, such as thin paper stock, which can be'laminated to the fibre wall 20 by any of the conventional, low cost fibre adhesives such as dextrine or animal glue. The outer surface of the label 22 preferably is coated with a smooth-surfaced protective coating 24 which is both water and moisture proof or repellant and which may comprise a thin layer of a coating composition such as varnish or lacquer, a thin layer of aluminum foil, or an extruded film of a suitable plastic such as polyethylene.

The opposing longitudinal marginal edge portions 25, 26 of the fibre wall 20 are overlapped and secured together by a suitable adhesive 27 (see FIG. 2) which readily adheres to the fibres of the fibre wall to form a glued lap side seam 28. This adhesive preferably is of the hot melt type. Examples of suitable adhesives are disclosed in John E. Robinson Patents 2,333,676, and 2,361,418.

In order to permit the glue bond to be made between the underlap and overlap portions 25, 26 of the fibre wall 20, the edge 30 of the label 22 on the underlap portion of the side seam 28 terminates inwardly of the longitudinal underlap edge 32 of the body, and extends only a slight distance into the side seam 28. The opposite edge 34 of the label 22, however, substantially coincides with the corresponding edge 36 of the overlap portion 26 of the fibre wall 20.

The circumferential edges 38, 40 of the label 22 are preferably disposed longitudinally inwardly of the rel spective circumferential edges 42, 44- of the fibre wall 20 (see FIG. 7). However, as clearly seen in FIGS. l and 3, the label 22 extends into the end seams 18 of the container.

Thus, in the finished container, the external surface of the body 10 is completely protected by the laminated label 22, with the exception of the edges 34, 36. It will be understood however, that the thickness of the body l@ is somewhat exaggerated in the drawings, and in actual practice the area of these exposed edges 34, 36 is so slight that moisture or water penetration thereinto is negligible under normal circumstances, and is not objectionable. lf necessary, the label 22 may be folded around the edge 35 and extended into the side seam 28 a distance about equal to the distance which the other end of the label 22 extends into it, thus bringing the protective coating 24 on the opposite ends of the label 22 into face-to-face engagement to thereby seal off the edge 36.

As previously stated, the fibre Wall 20`is preferably suitably sized to provide some measure of resistance to moisture and water penetration. When the container 10 is used to package frozen foods the resistance imparted by the sizing material is normally all that is required, since after the product has been frozen the body 10 is subjected to little or no product penetration. However, if additional protection is desired, the inside of the body may be protected in any suitable manner as by an inside fiush coating or a spray coating of a wax or a waxlike material (not shown).

In forming the container of FIG. l, the first step is to provide the fibre wall 20 in the form of a suitably dimensioned fiat blank, as seen in FIG. 4.

As the next step, the label 22 is properly registered relative to the fibre wall 20 and is laminated thereto to form a unitary, integral body structure, these body components 20, 22 being united by an adhesive 50 which preferably is applied to the undersurface of the label 22. The adhesive 50, which is indicated in FIG. 5, but is omitted from FIGS. 2 and 3 for the sake of clarity of illustration, preferably is a low cost dextrine or animal glue type of adhesive.

As seen in FIG. 5, the label 22 is positioned relative to the fibre wall 20 so that its edge 34 coincides with the corresponding edge 36 of the fibre wall 20. Since the label 22 is somewhat narrower than the fibre wall 20, this leaves the marginal edge portion 25 of the fibre wall 20 uncovered by the label 22.

The step of laminating the label 22 to the fibre wall 20 is simplified by the fact that the label 22 is smaller in all dimensions than is the fibre wall 20. Thus, the registration of the label edges 38, 40 relative to the fibre wall edges 42, 44 is not critical, and some latitude in this registration is permissible. It will be noted that the total difference in height between the label 22 and the fibre wall 20 is less than the height of one of the end seams 1S, so that if the registration of the label relative to the fibre wall 20 should be so far off that one of the circumferential label edges 38, 4t) should actually coincide with its corresponding fibre wall edge 42 or 44, the opposite label edge would still be disposed within its corresponding end seam 18.

As the next step in the formation of the body 10, the side seam adhesive 27 is applied to the uncovered marginal edge portion 25 by any suitable means, as by an adhesive applying roll 54. If desired, the adhesive 27 may be applied to the underside of the overlap portion 25 of the fibre wall 20.

Next, the blank is bent into cylindrical shape to bring its opposing longitudinal marginal edge portions 25, 26 into overlapping relationship, and these overlapped por tions 25, 26 are then pressed together to create the lap side seam 28, which is bonded by the glue 27, thus completing formation of the body 10.

Thereafter, the bottom end member 14 is crimped in place onto the formed body 10 to form it into a container which is ready for shipment to the packer, who iills it with a suitable product (not shown) and seams the upper end member 12 in place.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts and that changes may be made in the steps of the method described and their order of accomplishment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodirnent thereof.

We claim:

1. A container body comprising:

a tubular fibrous wall having its opposed longitudinal marginal edge portions disposed in overlapping relationship to thereby comprise an underlap and an overlap, and

a protective label laminated to the outer surface of said body Wall, o

one longitudinal edge portion of said label extending under said overlap and terminating short of the longitudinal edge of said underlap to thereby leave the fibrous marginal edge portion of said underlap between said longitudinal underlap edge and said longitudinal label edge uncovered by said label,

the outer surface of the iibrous marginal edge portion of said underlap between said edge of said underlap and the edge of said label being adhesively secured to the inner surface of the fibrous marginal edge portion of said overlap to form a lap seam,

said label extending from between said lap seam completely around the fibrous body and terminating in substantial alignment with the longitudinal edge of said overlap,

2. A container body comprising:

a tubular fibrous wall having its opposed longitudinal marginal edge portions disposed in overlapping relationship to thereby comprise an underlap and an overlap,

a label laminated to the outer surface of said body wall,

one longitudinal edge portion of said label extending under said overlap and terminating short of the 1ongitudinal edge of said underlap,

the outer surface of the fibrous marginal edge portion of said underlap between the edge of said underlap and the edge of said label being adhesively secured to the inner surface of the iibrous marginal edge portion of said overlap said label extending from said underlap completely around said librous body to a point closely adjacent the longitudinal edge of said overlap,

the circumferential edges of said label being disposed inwardly of the corresponding circumferential edges of said body wall, and

means secured to the container body in end seams which cover the circumferential edges of said label.

References tCited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CONTAINER BODY COMPRISING: A TUBULAR FIBROUS WALL HAVING ITS OPPOSED LONGITUDINAL MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS DISPOSED IN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP TO THEREBY COMPRISE AN UNDERLAP AND AN OVERLAP, AND A PROTECTIVE LABEL LAMINATED TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID BODY WALL, ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID LABEL EXTENDING UNDER SAID OVERLAP AND TERMINATING SHORT OF THE LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID UNDERLAP TO THEREBY LEAVE THE FIBROUS MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID UNDERLAP BETWEEN SAID LONGITUDINAL UNDERLAP EDGE AND SAID LONGITUDINAL LABEL EDGE UNCOVERED BY SAID LABEL, THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE FIBROUS MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID UNDERLAP BETWEEN SAID EDGE OF SAID UNDERLAP AND THE EDGE OF SAID LABEL BEING ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF THE FIBROUS MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID OVERLAP TO FORM A LAP SEAM, SAID LABEL EXTENDING FROM BETWEEN SAID LAP SEAM COMPLETELY AROUND THE FIBROUS BODY AND TERMINATING IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID OVERLAP. 